A Deep Dive Into The B-LFP LT Series Batteries: How They Function And Why You Need Them

What happens without LT?

LiFePO4 batteries function from the electrochemical potential of metal, specifically the electrolyte within the battery carrying lithium ions between the anode and the cathode during charging and discharging. All batteries function best in mild to warm climates since the electrochemical process slows the colder it becomes. Although you may notice reduced capacity in temperatures below 32°F (0°C), it is perfectly safe to discharge your LiFePO4 batteries in temperatures down to -4°F (-20°C). During discharge, lithium ions intercalate into the cathode. Think of discharge intercalation as the lithium ions navigating their way “home” to the lithium iron phosphate cathode after work, which they do just fine in cool temperatures.

It seems there are many consumers who are quite unaware of the dangers of using a LiFePo4 battery in cold climates, in particular charging one of these batteries when there is a risk of frost and the temperature is at or below zero degrees Celsius.

However, charging in freezing temperatures is a different story. In freezing charging conditions, lithium ions get lost navigating their way to “work” within the graphite anode. Instead of intercalating, these lithium ions end up plating the surface of the anode. Charging in freezing temps can cause plating, which reduces battery capacity and increases resistance. If enough plating builds up, it can puncture the separator and create a dangerous short inside the cell.

Imagine going to sleep in 45°F weather and waking up to a cold snap at 15°F. If a charge cycle was initiated automatically in the middle of the night and you did not have BSLBATT Low Temperature (LT) Models batteries, irreparable damage could have been done.

Our first Low-Temperature Charge Protected Battery

Wisdom Industrial Power Co., Ltd is excited to announce a new range of cutting-edge lithium-ion phosphate 12V batteries that have been designed with the Part of the country low-temperature weather in mind, featuring low-temperature charge protection.

Attempting to recharge any lithium battery below zero will cause permanent catastrophic damage to the internal cells as lithium metal is plated on the anode due to an in-avoidable slowing of the cell chemistry. In fact, peer researched articles have shown that plating can even be dangerous!

We now have a custom-designed range of batteries that have internal low-temperature charge protection, inhibiting any possibility of accidentally charging your batteries when it is too cold. This is one less thing to worry about and allows many more people to enjoy lithium batteries particularly in installations where the batteries do not have internal habitation heating or external installation locations where it is simply not possible to provide internal heating.

How Do Low Temperature (LT) Models Work?

When a charge cycle is initiated in freezing temperatures, the battery management system (BMS) diverts the current to the heating element instead of the cells. The heating element functions until the uniform internal temperature of the battery reach its specified safe temp, at which time it allows the current to charge the cells. Uniform internal heating is an important feature of the Low Temperature (LT) Models, as many external heating blanket options currently available cannot sense the internal temperature of the cells and may not be completely effective at heating the battery throughout. Depending on how cold it is and which LT models you are using, the BMS sources 5 to 15 charging amps to power the heating element. Heating usually takes between one and 1.5 hours to thoroughly heat batteries to specified temperatures. B-LFP12-100 LT batteries may NOT be connected in series but can be connected in parallel.

When using a shunt-based battery gauge with Low Temperature (LT) Models, it’s important to note that the gauge will not differentiate between heating amps and charging amps, so your battery gauge may read as full before the charge finishes. To ensure your batteries are completely refilled, be sure to allow the charge to complete even if the gauge shows 100%.

The lithium-ion batteries operate over a wide temperature range, but this does not give permission to also charge them at the extreme cold condition which reduces charge acceptance, normally, the charging process is more delicate than discharging. BSLBATT adopts patented technology and strong materials to build a low-temperature battery, which can charge and discharge smoothly in an environment of minus 35 centigrade.

BSLBATT lifepo4 advantage is they hold voltage better and rebound better too. They are also eco-friendly, in particular, lithium-ion phosphate due to non-toxic materials and no emission of gases from the battery. They charge faster, do not get charge memory, and recharge more efficiently.

Installing a Low Temperature (LT) Models series battery into your RV caravan, boat, motor home or solar storage bank is a great way to provide and store the energy for your electronic devices without the need for mains supply or noisy generators in cold winter. Lithium batteries’ extended lifespans can mean their cost-effectiveness is actually much better in the long run, so if you can foot the expense upfront, it’s worth it.

In addition, lithium iron phosphate batteries also perform better at colder temperatures than lead-acid batteries (SLA). At 0°C (freezing point), for example, a lead-acid battery’s capacity is reduced by up to 50%, while a lithium iron phosphate battery suffers only a 10% loss at the same temperature.

We are extremely proud that our 100A flagship B-LFP12-100 LT low temperature protected battery is manufactured in China, we believe this is a first for the lithium leisure market!

If you have any questions about our B-LFP12-100 LT Series or need help selecting the best model for your needs, please contact us.